Apparatus for handling metal strips



Feb. 8, 1955 J. E. ERHARDT, JR

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING METAL STRIPS original Filed oct. so, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l vom smh 125:@ 1 Ov l INVENTOR:

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APPARATUS PoR HANDLING METAL STRIPS Auxlharq Strip Drive at Infeed of pickllry Tank Feb. s, 1955 Original Filed Oct. 30, 1945 Feb- 8, 1955 J. E. ERHARDT, JR l 2,701,716

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING METAL STRIPS Original Filed O01.. 30, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 @Al/AMM APPARATUS Fon HANDLING METAL srnlrs John E. Erhardt, Jr., Baltimore, Md., assignor to Crown Cork & Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a con poration of New York Original application October 30, 1945, Serial No. 625,505. Divided and this application August 21, 1950, Serial No. 180,683

The present invention relates to apparatus for handling metal strips. The application is a division of my application Serial No. 625,505, filed October 30, 1945, now Patent No. 2,546,538, issued March 27, 1951, for Apparatus for Handlingand Brightening Metal.'

An object of the invention is to provide a looper for use in strip handling apparatus.

Loopers are provided in strip handling lines to enable the strip to be continuously moved through the apparatus regardless of the necessity-of joining new rolls to the strip and the severing of the outfeed end of the strip into rolls. Prior loopers have included involved cable and sheave arrangements which required careful adjustment. The looper structure of the present invention includes a simple cable and sheave arrangement which requires minimum adjustment.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an anti-crash control for loopers.

The loopers used in a strip treating line include counterweights which may have a weight of the order of a ton or more. If the strip becomes broken for any reason, the resultant dropping of these counterweights can result in substantial damage to the surrounding structure and possible injury to operators. The controls included in the present invention are of such design that breakage of the strip will actuate them to prevent droppingof the counterweights.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved strip drive for use in strip handling apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and attached drawings wherein:

Figure l 1s a dlagrammatlc elevatlon of a brightening the furnace. A strip coolingP device 35 shown in detail in said original application is positioned immediately below roll 33. The pu ose of device 35 is to enable water to be jetted upon e strip in the event that movement of the strip should bestopped. The water thus jetted upon the strip will ow downwardly along. the vertical run to prevent the portion of the strip within the furnace 34 from being burned and thereby disintegrated by the oxidizing action which will occur when the strip is stopped while thefurnace is at normal operating temperature.

Generally speaking, the brightening furnace 34 comprises a tower open to atmosphere only at its upper end and with burners positioned adjacent its lower end so that rising products of combustion will pre-heat the strip S as it moves downwardly through the upper portion of' the furnace. The lower end of the furnace 34 has a water-sealed connection with a quench tank 36. During its movement past the burners of the brightening furnace 34, the tin coating on the steel strip wiil be fused so that it will ow. While the coating is in this condition, the strip moves into the quench tank 36 and the coating is thereby instantly hardened so that the strip will be apparatus including the equipment of the present invention, numerous portions of the apparatus being shown in vertical section.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the strip looper at the outfeed end of the line, theview showing the strip in-feed side of the looper, i. e., its left hand side in Figure 1.

liiigure 3 is a top plan view of the looper of Figure 2, an

Figure 4 is an elevation of the lower portion of the looper, the view being taken at its out-feed side.

Figure l diagrammatically illustrates the position and use of the present invention in a strip electroplating and brightening apparatus such as disclosed in my said original application Serial No. 625,505, now Patent No. 2,546,538.

It will be understood that description of such use is simply illustrative.

Referring to Figure l, a. strip of metal S', ordinarily a steel strip of a width of approximately thirty inches,

is passed through a pickling tank 25, then between pinch rolls 26, into a rinse tank 27, and then through the apparatus 28 which will electro-plate a tin coating upon strip S to produce the plated strip S. The plated strip S then moves over a roll 29 and through a rinse chamber 30 such as disclosed in my original application. In the rinse chamber the strip is subjected to a spray of water or other suitable wash liquid, the chamber 30 being of such construction that no liquid can be jetted therefrom. In addition, the rinse chamber 30 includes rubber-covered rolls which remove all surplus water or rinsing liquid from the strip before the latter leaves the rinse chamber.

The strip S then moves upwardly to a roll 33 positioned above the brightening furnace 34 and passes down about roll 33 for movement in a vertical run through vthe strip as it moves through the drier.

moves upwardly and between rolls included in a wringer roll assembly 38 which removes surplus quenching liquid from the strip. After movement about a roll 38a and a short horizontal run, the strip moves in vertical runs through a chemical treatment tank 39. During movement through the tank 39, the st rip will be subjected to known treatments whereby its surface will be given an adequate affinity for lacquer or other coatings. Tank 39 preferably comprises two compartments 40 and 41.

The strip moves through the compartment 40 in vertical loops, this compartment being filled with the treating solution. Compartment 41 is ordinarily empty andis usedv to store the treating solution when the treating solution compartment 40 is being cleaned. A pump 40a may be included in the tank structure to enable the treating solution to be moved from one compartment to the other.

After the strip S leaves the chemical treatment tank 39, it will be passed through wringer rolls 42 which will remove excess treating liquid from the strip. Then, in a horizontal run, the strip passes through rinse chamber 30a which is identical in structure with the previously described rinse chamber 30. Beyondvrinse chamber 30a the strip moves in a vertical run through a drier 43 designed to remove all moisture from the strip.

Generally speaking, thedrier 43 comprises two outlet boxes 44 and 45, one positioned on each side of the strip. Each outlet box is provided with outlet openings through which air of the proper temperature is directed against The outlet boxes are supplied with air of the desired temperature by a blower and duct system, the air being forced through thel ducts by the blower 46 which also serves to create a forced draft in the upper portion of the brightening furnace 34 through a duct 47. The temperature of the air directed against the strip S bythe drier 43 may be controlled by a heater 48 mounted in the duct system between blower 46 and drier 43.

After the strip S has been dried, it moves through a series of main pinch rolls 50. As is shown in Figure 2, the lower pinch roll 51 of the series S0 is driven by a motor 52. The pinch roll structure 50 imparts the necessary drive and tension to move the strip through the elements shown in Figure 1 and which are in advance of the rolls S0 and to the rear of the auxiliary pinch rolls 26 of Figure 1. The auxiliary pinch rolls 26 diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 exert tension upon the strip to move it through the pickling tank 25 and the usual elements in advance of tank 25.

' In short, the strip is driven 26 while it is moving through the infeed portion of the electrolytic coating apparatus and the portion of the strip moving through the remainder of the electrolytic apparatusand through the other apparatus of Figure 1 is driven by the main pinch rolls 50. The motor 54 for theauxiliary pinch rolls is electrically connected with the motor 52 of the main pinch rolls 50 as schematically shown in Figure 2 so that both sets of pinch rolls will be driven in synchronism. The provision of main pinch rolls at a point in the brightening apparatus which is beyond all of the strip treating elements is highly advantageous because it insures that the strip will be under uniform tension duringits movement through all of these elements.

As is shown in Figure 1,'the strip S moves from the main pinch rolls 50 directly to` the outlet looper 55. Looper 55 includes an upper vertically movable sheave carrying platform 56. As best shown in Figures 2 and 3, the platform 56 is connected by suitable cables passing` through a main sheave and auxiliary sheaves to counterweights 57. An improved system of connecting the platform 56 to the counter-weights 57 is hereinafter described. In addition, the anti-crash brake system provided is of importance and is subsequently described. In order to control the anti-crash braking system, strip breakage detectors 58 and 59 (Figure 1) are provided immediately in advance of the drier 43 and immediately beyond the looper 55, respectively. These detectors are electrically connected with the brake. Location of these detectors at the points specified, i. e., the points of greatest tension, insures that the anti-crash devices will be highly responsive to any breakage.

by 'the auxiliary pinch rolls Immediately beyond the second detector 59 the strip S moves through a pair of rolls designated by the numeral 60 and by means of which the strip may be gripped. From the roll 60 to the strip is directed to coiling drum 61 upon which the strip may be'wound into a coil. Shearing means, not shown, will be positioned between the tension rolls 60 and the coiling drum 61. In accordance with usual practice, when a full coil has builtup on the coiling drum 61, the tension rolls 60 will be held against movement so that the strip will be clamped between these rolls. The strip will then be sheared between the tension rolls and the coiling drum and the full coil removed from the coiling druin. During this interval of time, the looper 55 will take up the supply of strip which is moving through the apparatus. The sheared end of the strip will then be connected to the coiling apparatus and the tension rolls 60 released for normal operation and during which operation the looper will gradually feed out the strip which has accumulated thereon during the stoppage.

Referring now to the details of the invention hereinafter claimed, as is shown in Figure l, the vertical run 250 of the strip which passes through the drier 43 extends downwardly about the lower pinch roll 51 (Figure 2) of the main pinch rolly assembly 50. The strip moves about this roll in the direction ofthe arrow appearing thereon in Figure 1 and then moves about a roll 250 in the direction of the arrow provided thereon in Figure l. A small roll 251 is mounted directly below lower pinch roll 51 and a second small roll 252 is mounted directly above the upper pinch roll 250, the strip passing between each small roll and the adjacent large roll. Asshown in Figure 2, the lower roll 51 is driven from the motor 52 through a gear reduction unit 253 and the upper roll 250 is geared to roll 51. The small rolls 251 and 252 are driuen by engagement of the strip therewith.

The lower pinch roll 51 and Athe upper pinch roll 250 i are of the same diameter and are journalled at iixed distances apart with their opposed surfaces spaced about one-eighth of an inch from each other. However, the small rolls 251 and 252 are journalled in slides vertically movable in slideways 254 (Figure 2) and the positions of the roll-carrying slides in the slideways is determined v other so that they would press the strip between them to thereby exert tension upon the strip. However, this 4 prior adjustment of one roll with respect to the other permits the rolls to be tilted with respect to each other, resulting in an uneven pull upon the strip, with possible lresultant buckling and stretching. By having the rolls 51 and 250 mounted on fixed centers and applying the necessary tension by means of the small rolls 251 and 252, all possibility of tilting the large rolls is prevented.

:The above pinch roll assembly comprises the main drive f or the strip S.v Applying the principal drive to the strip at this point and beyond all of the strip treatmg elements msures that the strip will be under uniform tension during its movement through all of the treating elements. Also, the main pinch rolls cannot scui the strip because its plating will be hard at this point. However, as mentioned above and as is diagrammatically indicated in Figures 1 and 2, an auxiliary drive is imparted to` the strip by the pinch roll assembly 26 positioned at the out-feed end of the pickling tank 25 and the motor 54 for this latter assembly may be in circuit and synchronized with the motor 52 so that a proper tension will be exerted on the strip by the main pinch roll assembly 50 with respect to that exerted on the 'strip by the auxiliary pinch roll assembly 26.

As shown in Figure 2, the auxiliary pinch roll assembly 26 comprises a lower large roll 26a driven by motor 54 through reducing gearing, and a smaller upper roll 26b which is slidable toward large roll 26a. However, assembly 26 may be of the same form as the main drive assembly 50.

Referring to Figure 1, after the strip has moved about the upper pinch roll 250, it moves downwardly to the rst of a series of rolls 260 mounted on the base 261 of counterweights to the carriage 56, as well as novel brake control for the carriage and counter-weights.

As is illustrated in Figure l, the movable carriage 56 of the looper has two strap elements 266 extending upwardly therefrom and these strap elements have cable clamps 267 secured thereto at points adjacent the center or vertical axis of the carriage. That is, as shown in 'Figure 1', the clamps are directly between the two vertical beams'268 on which the carriage is guided and, as is shown in Figure 2, they are midway of the beams 268. Cables 270 and 271 extend upwardly from the respective clamps. As shown in Figure 3, both of these cables pass about a main sheave 272 journalled on the xed platform 273 at the top of the looper tower 265.

It will be perceived that the portions of the cables extending from the sheave 272 to the clamps 267, extend closely adjacent to each other in a vertical plane which is midway between two sides of the looper carriage. This plane is also midway between the counter-weights 57.

The cable 270 passes up about the sheave to have one bight 274 completely encircling the sheave and the' cable then passes oi the lower surface of the sheave and 275, the cable is connected to one of the counter-weights 57. The other cable 271- passes upwardly about the sheave 272 and has one bight 276 completely encircling theA latter, this cable then extending off the top of the sheave to an auxiliary sheave 277 and then down to the other counter-weight 57. Guard walls 57a (Figure 4) enclose the lower portion of the paths of movement of the counter-weights.

-It will be observed that the two cables 270 and 271 are wound in opposite directions about the sheave 272. In addition, as shown in Figure 3, theaxis of sheave 272 is at an acute angle to one of the parallel planes in which the counterweights move, so that portions of the cables which extend downwardly from the auxiliary sheaves and to the counter-weights lie in a single plane which is at right angles to the planes. inv which the counter-weights move. y

As is indicated in Figure 3, a speed reducer 280 is connected to the shaft 281 which carries the main sheave 272. The high speed shaft or element 282 of the speed reducer 280 has a centrifugal switch 283 associated with one thereof. The other end of shaft 282 is equipped with a magnetic brake 284 actuated from housing 284a and controlled by the centrifugal 'switch 283. Whenever high speed shaft 282 of the reducer 280 moves at a greater than predetermined speed, the centrigugal switch will actuate a circuit to operate brake 284 to hold the sheave 272 against rotation. In other words, if the strip should break from any cause, so that the movable looper carriage 57 may move upwardly at high speed by the action of the counter-weights 57, this movement will be detected by the switch 233 and the brake 284 will be applied to the high speed shaft 282. The provision of the speed reducer 280 and the use of its high speed shaft 282 in the brake device, with a consequent reduction in torque, permits the use of a relatively small brake. The centrifugal switch 283 is also connected to the circuit of strip driving motor 52 to stop operation of this motor as well as all other strip driving motors when the strip breaks. For example, if the auxiliary strip drive 26 is used, its motor 54 would also be stopped I at this time.

A further control of the looper is provided by the strip breakage detectors 58 and 59 illustrated in Figure 1. Each of these detectors includes an arm 300 (Figure 4) fixed to a shaft 301 extending into the switch box of the detector, the arm carrying a loller 302 adapted to bear upon the strip S. The arm is weighted as indicated at 303 so that if the strip breaks, the arm may move past the normal plane of the strip. This movement will close an electrical circuit through the lines generally designated 304 to 'also apply the brake 283. The strip driving motors will also be stopped as described above. The solenoid actuated valves controlling gas flow to the brightening furnace burners and a solenoid actuated valve of the strip cooling device 35 also may be controlled from switch 283 and the detectors 58 and 59 so that the supply of gas to the burners will be shut off and cooling water applied to the strip when movement of the strip is stopped by switch 283 and the detectors.

The detector 58 is provided in the vertical run 250 of the strip which extends directly to the main pinch rolls 50. This run will be particularly sensitive to any breakage of the strip in advance of these pinch rolls. The other detector 59 is positioned in a ver/tical run 305 of the strip which moves from a roll 306 to vthe usual tension rolls 60. The strip S moves to roll 306 from the outfeed roll 262 of the looper carriage and roll 306 is journalled on the stationary frame of the looper. The run 305 will be particularly affected by any breakage of the strip between the tension rolls 60 and the main pinch rolls so that actuation of the detector 59 will promptly occur in the event of breakage.

It will be observed from the above that the detectors 58 and 59 are so arranged that one of them will be immediately actuated if the strip breaks on either side of the main pinch rolls 50 The terminology used in the specification is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, the scope of the invention being indicated in the claims.

I claim:

1. A looper for strip material including a tower structure, a take-up platform vertically movable in said tower structure, a sheave on said tower structure, a cable extending upwardly from said platform and wound about said sheave, a counter-weight on the free end of said cable, a speed reduction unit including high and low speed shafts and having its low speed shaft connected to said sheave, brake means for the high speed shaft of said u nit, and means actuated by the high speed shaft of said speed reduction unit to control said brake means.

2. A looper for strip material including a tower structure, a take-up roll platform vertically movable in said tower structure, a sheave onsaid tower structure, a pair of cables extending from the center of said platform and about said sheave, each cable having a bight thereof passing about the sheave, and counter-weights carried at the free ends of said respective cables, one cable extending from said sheave to its counter-weight in a direction opposite to that in which the other cable extends to its counter-weight.

3. A looper for strip material comprising a tower structure, a looper roll carriage vertically movable in said tower structure, a sheave at one upper portion of said tower structure, a pair of cables extending from said carriage, about said sheave and thence downwardly, and a counter-weight on each of two opposite sides of said tower, said counter-weights being respectively slidable in parallel planes, the axis of said sheave being at an acute angle to one of said planes so that the portions of the cables extending downwardly to the counterweights may liein a plane normal to the planes in which the counter-weights move and the counter-weights may be positioned directly opposite each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

